Ubisoft video game workers to strike for fair wages in France

The Video Game Workers Union (STJV), Solidaires Informatique, and CFE-CGC are calling for a national strike of Ubisoft France employees on 14 February to demand fair wages.

“The negotiations have hit a wall,” say the three union organizations following the annual mandatory salary negotiations. According to STJV: “It has become clear to many Ubisoft employees that the reduction in their living standards is seen not as a bug but as a feature by the company’s leadership. For a company that continues to profit despite what many see as a multi-failing direction to expect employees to bear the cost to increase its profits is deemed utterly unacceptable.”

After a challenging 2022-2023 fiscal year, the unions highlight “the improvement in economic conditions” this year, as the French gaming giant saw a 14.3% increase in revenue during its first semester, driven by the launches of new games like “Assassin’s Creed Mirage.”

“We stand in solidarity with Ubisoft employees in their fight for fair wages and dignity,” said Ben Parton, Head of ICTS at UNI Global Union. “In an industry as profitable as video games, it’s essential that workers are rewarded fairly for their contributions. This strike is not just about Ubisoft; it’s a call for justice for video game workers everywhere.”

A day of mobilization had already hit Ubisoft in January 2023 to denounce managerial practices. According to union sources, “about a hundred employees” went on strike at the Ubisoft Paris Studio site in Montreuil (Seine-Saint-Denis). A rather rare movement in the video game industry. The unions are hoping for an even stronger mobilization on February 14th.

It has become clear to many Ubisoft employees that the reduction in their living standards is seen not as a bug but as a feature by the company’s leadership. For a company that continues to profit despite what many see as a multi-failing direction to expect employees to bear the cost to increase its profits is deemed utterly unacceptable.